1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector fitting-detection mechanism in which a complete fitting state of female and male connectors is detected through a slide operation, and which has a function of locking the complete fitting state of the connectors.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 9-334380, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there have been known various kinds of connector fitting-detection mechanism. For example, there is known a connector fitting detection mechanism disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei. 8-31517. FIGS. 6 to 10 shows a connector fitting-detection mechanism 51 in which a fitting detection member 56 includes a flexible detection arm 57 having an engagement projection 58 at a tip potion thereof and extending in a fitting direction of a female connector 52 and a male connector 54. The flexible detection arm 57 is attached to a rear portion of a housing 55 of the male connector 54, and is slidable forward and backward along the housing 55.
A provisional engagement portion 60 and a primary engagement portion 61 for engaging with the engagement projection 58 are located at forward and backward portions of an engagement stop plate 59 along the fitting direction of the connectors. The engagement stop plate 59 is provided on the housing 55. A disengagement projection 62 is provided at a front portion of the housing 53 of the female connector 52. When the female connector 52 and the male connector 54 are completely fitted to each other, the disengagement projection 62 abuts against the provisionally engaged engagement projection 58 to release the provisional engagement with the provisional engagement portion 60, so that the engagement projection 58 moves beyond the engagement stop plate 59 and primarily engages with the primary engagement portion 61.
More specifically, the engagement stop plate 59 lies on the upper surfaces of two flexible cantilevered plates 63 which have a cantilevered shape and are fixed on the upper surface of the housing 55 to be extended backward. A pushing plate 64 having a wide width lies on the upper surfaces of the rear portions of the flexible cantilevered plates 63. Portions of the pushing plate 64, which protrude from the side portions of the two flexible cantilevered plates 63, are defined as guide portions 64a.
Guide pieces 65a are arranged to be hung from the both ends of an operation plate portion 65 which extends in the longitudinal direction on the upper surface of the fitting detection member 56, and respectively have protrusions at the tip portions thereof. The guide pieces 65a are slidably guided forward and backward by the pushing plates 64. A tapered portion 58a has a substantially rectangular shape in cross section, and is provided at the front end of the engagement projection 58. A locking mechanism (not shown) is provided in the female and male connectors 52 and 54 for the complete fitting of the connectors. The above connector fitting-detection mechanism 51 is assembled as follows. First, a female terminal connected to a covered wire W at the rear portion thereof is inserted into the housing 55 of the male connector 54 from the rear side of the housing 55. Afterwards, the fitting detection member 56 is attached to the guide portion 64a from the rear side of the pushing plate 64. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the engagement projection 58 abuts against the rear end of the engagement stop plate 59 and is positioned at the provisional engagement portion 60, and further, the operation plate portion 65 is positioned at the upper surface of the pushing plate 64. Thus, the assembly of the male connector 54 is completed.
Similarly, a male terminal connected to a covered wire W at the rear portion thereof is inserted into the housing 53 of the female connector 52 from the rear side of the housing 53. Thus, the assembly of the female connector 52 is completed.
When the male connector 54 is assembled, the fitting detection member 56 does not move even if it is pushed forward, because the engagement projection 58 is fitted into the provisional engagement portion 60. Accordingly, if the fitting detection member 56 is positioned at the rear end portion of the male connector 54 when the male connector 54 and the female connector 52 are fitted to each other, it is understood from the outward appearance such that the fitting between the male connector 54 and the female connector 52 is still in a midway state.
When the male connector 54 is fitted into the female connector 52, the disengagement projection 62 abuts against the front end surface of the engagement stop plate 59 of the housing 55, and the fitting operation is temporarily stopped. In this state, as shown in FIG. 8, when the operation plate portion 65 of the fitting detection member 56 is pushed downward, the pushing plate 64 is also pushed downward. Accordingly, the flexible cantilevered plates 63 are bent such that the engagement stop plate 59 is displaced downward, and the fitting operation between the female and male connectors 52, 54 is restarted.
Afterwards, as shown in FIG. 9, the disengagement projection 62 moves beyond the engagement stop plate 59 and fits into the provisional engagement portion 60, so that the engagement projection 58 of the fitting detection member 56 is displaced downward and disengages from the provisional engagement portion 60, whereby the fitting operation between the female and male connectors is completed. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 10, when the fitting detection member 56 is pushed forward, the engagement projection 58 moves along the lower surface of the engagement stop plate 59 and fits into the primary engagement portion 61 and engages with the front end surface of the engagement stop plate 59. As a result, since the fitting detection member 56 moves to the intermediate position of the housing 55, it is understood from the outward appearance such that the fitting between the male connector 54 and the female connector 52 is completed.
However, the midway state and the completion state of the fitting between the female and male connectors 52, 54 are detected in such a manner that the position of the fitting detection member 56 is defined or restricted by using the flexible cantilevered plates 63 of the male connector 54 and the disengagement projection 62 of the female connector 52. Therefore, there is a problem in that productivity of the connector fitting-detection mechanism is degraded since the configuration of the flexible cantilevered plates 63 is complicated.
Further, the fitting detection member 56 is supported by the flexible cantilevered plates 63 through the pushing plate 64, and the flexible detection arm 57 is small in size and the number thereof is single. Therefore, there may not be a desired sufficient rigidity even if the engagement projection 58 engages with the primary engagement portion 61. Accordingly, since another locking mechanism (not-shown) is required in order to lock the completely fitted female and male connectors 52, 54, there is a possibility in that the cost of the connector fitting detection mechanism is increased.